Countdown To Love
by XxTwistedEverAfterxX
Summary: The timers on their wrists ticked down slowly to the final moment before they were to meet their soul mates. At such a young age, and with such a frail and sickly body, Matthew didn't expect to live to see the day his timer ticked down to zero. He was lucky to be meeting the one that he would fall in love with so soon. PruCan Fluff.


**Hello! For those of you that don't follow me on Tumblr, there's been quite an absence of my fics on here, and for that, I'm very sorry! I have been writing, quite a lot actually, but I've been posting all my fics on my Tumblr account and neglecting this one a little! I'm very sorry! If you would like to read more of my fics when I post them, rather than me forgetting to re-upload them here, definitely go check out my Tumblr which is on my profile for you! If you like this fic, Like and Reblog it on Tumblr as well~! All my fics are organised by pairing in the 'Fic Master Collection' link on my blog! Big smooches, and sorry for the delay in fics!**

**So a little while back, p0ck3tf0x was really sad, and I just really wanted to do anything to cheer her up. Earlier today, she got really sad again, and I had to finish writing this up really quick. She'd requested it before, and hopefully it'll make her feel a little bit better; a PruCan drabble with Gil and Mattie as children, something solemn and sad but hopeful. Mix that together with the concept of a countdown to meeting your soul mate, and you get this. It's a short thing, but it leaves the ending open to however you want to take it! Smooch smooch!**

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><p><em>Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…<em>

Every step, the sharp snaps echoed in Matthew's ears, too loud, too raw.

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

The further he walked, the more he began to wonder if the breaking he would hear with every push forward was that of leaves and twigs beneath his little shoes, or that of his own bones. It felt like the latter.

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

The sun had begun to set, casting marigold streaks over the half dead browning grass, sprinkled with drops of dew that caught in the dying sunlight through the foliage of trees that had all but a few leaves coloured gold and red.

Nature was beautiful when it died.

Matthew only wished he could be the same. Him and his ghastly pale thin skin, his vein-broken eyes smeared violet and lavender and lilac in varying swirls along the iris of what had once been a bright, bright sky blue like his twin's. Him and his too small frame that quivered and trembled from cold so easily, the runt of the family and the vampire, the leech, the one who would be ignored the moment that everyone could afford to because he was so _draining_ to be near and sucked out so much time, energy, emotions and money.

If he was anything as beautiful as the autumn when it slowly began to die and transition to the bare and frosty winter, he would be happy.

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

From behind round lenses far too big for his face, Matthew searched, looking about the park with urgency, pushing through the pins and needles that had begun to prick at his feet from the excess strain and walking. He was still feverish; he shouldn't have gotten out of bed. But he _had_ to. It was urgent, and there was no way that he could lay there staring at the plain ceiling when his clock was ticking low, so close to zero that it had him feeling sick, stomach twisting into knots and maybe balloon animals because they would be so nice. It would be something to play with.

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

Slowing his walk, his breaths came in heavy puffs from his small lips, chapped and rosy from his sickness and the crisp weather, fogging in little clouds that faded and evaporated into the twilight air. There was nobody here. Were his instincts wrong? Was he broken inside more than he thought? No… That wouldn't be fair! Lifting his hand up, he turned his palm skyward before his face, the soft inside of his wrist facing him, the bright red numbering blinking in countdown second by second.

Four minutes, thirty two seconds remaining…

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

The small Canadian's walk sped up again, wanting to go find what he was looking for and get home again before he got sicker, before maman and papa got angry at him for leaving the house, and got mad at Alfred who had smiled so cheerfully and crawled into his bed and promised to cover for him—his twin with the same face, same genes, yet their personalities were almost contrast, their health even more so.

But his twin _loved_ him _so_, treasured him, and even when people were snipping and hissing at him to leave, he'd kick up a fuss and a tantrum and toddle back to his twin to keep trying to play with him, to keep trying because _"Mattie will get better! He's bored! It's so boring lying in bed for so long, let me play with him! He's sad, can't you tell?!"_ They shared a special bond nobody else shared, and as of such, they understood each other.

Matthew's urgency to find the one with the matching clock on their wrist grew exponentially the lower the time ticked, glowing red against his skin like an internal digital clock.

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

It had started to feel like it really was his own bones, each joint aching, the cold biting at every nerve and muscle that helped to lift his foot again… again… again… _Keep going_… He _had_ to keep going… He couldn't stop!

Three minutes, twenty seven seconds remaining…

In relation to others, Matthew was so young to be finding his soul mate; his one and only, the one who would love him with all of their heart and who he would be able to hold for all of eternity. Not the eternity of the world, but his eternity—however long he was on this planet, he would spend it with the one meant for him. He was blessed to be able to find his soul mate so young, at the small age of six, yet many had told him his clock was broken. The only thing he cherished, looked to when times got tough, clutched onto when fever burned much too high and when he could keep no food down in his stomach. His little countdown to the day he would meet his soul mate.

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

_Crash…!_

Tears bubbled up in Matthew's eyes, hands and knees pressed to the ground to keep him upright, small body curled up, the thick shawl that had been wrapped around his shoulders sliding a little. Softly, he sniffled, straightening, lifting his shaking left hand to inspect the countdown.

Two minutes, forty nine seconds remaining…

He had to get up, keep looking, and get to the one person who he would mean the world to! Alfred loved him, and they were closer than anybody could ever imagine, but they both knew they weren't meant to have that undying love like they would with their soul mates. Alfred wouldn't find his for another seven years, so he was happy that his frail brother finally had something come his way. He wasn't jealous.

Two minutes, three seconds remaining…

Why wouldn't his legs work? He couldn't stand up! No, but his soul mate was nearby somewhere, what if he missed them? What if he missed them because he was collapsed on the ground and he never got his chance again after this?

One minute, thirty seven seconds remaining…

Tears rolled over the swell of his cheeks, flushed a deep pink against his pale skin from distress, struggling and failing to pick himself up each time to carry on, to keep walking, but found no matter how hard he pushed at the ground or forced his muscles to move, he was stuck huddled over with his fluffy shawl sliding lower, exposing his neck and shoulders slowly to the chill of the oncoming night. The ground was changing from marigold to ruby, the shadows of the thick trees stretching long and black, his skinny limbs looking like branches against the fallen leaves on the ground.

Fifty two seconds remaining…

Matthew was begging now, softly and fearfully, nearly sobbing with panic and distress as he kept struggling to pull his body up to work.

Forty three seconds remaining…

If he didn't move now, he'd miss his only chance! What if he lost his soul mate? How would he find them again?

Twenty six seconds remaining…

_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

It was distant, soft, but approaching and it made the young Canadian lift his head up, staring ahead of him through large tears that bled over his eyelashes like crystals.

Nineteen seconds remaining…

_Crunch-crunch… Crunch-crunch… Crunch-crunch…_

His small fingers curled around his wrist, staring at the numbers as the sound of rustling leaves and cracking branches grew louder from behind, violet eyes focused intently on the bright red countdown.

Ten seconds.

_Crunch-crunch-crunch-crunch…!_

The sound was coming from behind.

Nine seconds.

It was a run, a heavy snapping and crackling of foliage from directly behind him and he lifted his head up, lips parting softly.

Eight seconds.

They were here. They were running to him. Someone was eager to see him, to speak to him, to _love_ him.

Seven seconds.

They would play together, cuddle, hold hands and practice kissing like the bigger kids did even if it looked weird, but it was done out of love, so they had to try, of course!

Six seconds.

Matthew coughed softly, pulling at the shawl wrapped around his shoulders, shivering, but there was a warmth approaching rapidly, his chest pulling, heart calling out because he needed it to connect to that of his soul mate's heart, to soothe his aches, make him happy, keep him company during long sweat drenched fevers and keep him warm during too cold nights where his bones would ache.

Five seconds.

Four seconds.

Just around the corner, behind the trees. He could hear heavy panting.

Three seconds.

Two seconds.

One second.

Turning his head slowly, the footsteps jerked to a halt behind him, skidding, leaves picking up and fluttering through the air, the sun painting the sky in the clearing a dark purple to red to yellow gradient, sprinkling the beginnings of stars so carelessly that they clustered and glittered in competition against one another for beauty and attention. But they weren't what would draw Matthew's gaze to stare in wonder and infatuation.

_Zero._

A boy stood before him, breathing hard, white hair fluttering from the way he'd jerked to a stop so suddenly, his pale skin flushed from exertion, sweat glimmering on his skin like some of the stars had fallen from their place in the sky. His eyes were red, like apples, like falling maple leaves, like sweet strawberries and like burning love.

The boy hesitated for only a moment before darting forward, dumping himself before Matthew, frown on his face, eyebrows small and tucked close to his eyes as they squinted, searching, little hands grabbing, looking, and Matthew let him, stunned by the taller child, fat tears still dripping down as he let himself be inspected—hands, arms, knees, body, face, back of his head. Eventually, the other stopped, satisfied and huffing, but instead wrapped his arms tight around the smaller blond, heat spreading, pulsing, and soaking his body like he had been thrown into the very sun itself.

"I'm Gilbert. I'm gonna love you, and you'll be mine forever and ever."

The accent was thick, German, but it was so sure, if not breathless, and Matthew nodded, little fingers curling in the other's shirt, a piece inside of him sliding into place, growing hot, soothing his pains, numbing all the aches and filling in that little void that had been missing. Their clocks matched. Yes… Yes, this person would be so easy to love, and with them wrapped in each other's arms, it felt like, at last, things would turn out okay…


End file.
